Sadie - Review

Sadie

By: Courtney Summers

Publication: September 4th 2018 by Wednesday Books

320 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Mystery

Source: Publisher via NetGalley (Thank you!!)

( Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository )

*Note: The above links to Amazon and Book Depository are affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--A gripping novel about the depth of a sister's love; poised to be the next book you won't be able to stop talking about.

A missing girl on a journey of revenge and a Serial-like podcast following the clues she's left behind.

Sadie hasn't had an easy life. Growing up on her own, she's been raising her sister Mattie in an isolated small town, trying her best to provide a normal life and keep their heads above water.

But when Mattie is found dead, Sadie's entire world crumbles. After a somewhat botched police investigation, Sadie is determined to bring her sister's killer to justice and hits the road following a few meager clues to find him.

When West McCray—a radio personality working on a segment about small, forgotten towns in America—overhears Sadie's story at a local gas station, he becomes obsessed with finding the missing girl. He starts his own podcast as he tracks Sadie's journey, trying to figure out what happened, hoping to find her before it's too late.

Courtney Summers has written the breakout book of her career. Sadie is propulsive and harrowing and will keep you riveted until the last page.

I've read two Courtney Summers books before. One I loved. The other was just okay for me. When I first saw Sadie available for review, I decided to take a pass on it. But then I realized Courtney Summers was the author and I took a second look. Sadie isn't my typical preferred genre. While I occasionally like Mystery/Thriller/Suspense books, I usually prefer romance driven books. And well, there's not a romance in Sadie at all. But I try not to write books off entirely just because they're different from what I normally prefer because I've found in the past that sometimes I'll love a book that ends up changing my reading preferences. However, that was not the case with Sadie.

I really struggled with this book. The first 30% was very slow for me. And then I was probably 60% finished before I finally felt hooked into knowing what happened to Sadie and to Mattie. 60% is a long read when you're not fully invested. And I can't really give you a reason why I wasn't invested until that point because I liked Sadie. I liked the podcast and West McCray. I guess the pieces of the puzzle that we were given up until that point were slow for me. Of course, each piece is important for the overall story, but it was a process for me to get there.

The ending of Sadie was open. There's supposed to be the potential for hope, but it feels very faint to me. There's some justice which I think is intended to give the reader some satisfaction where the open ending might not fully satisfy. It wasn't a bad ending, but like I said, not completely satisfying either. I did read a note that Courtney Summers herself shared about the ending of the story which gave me a more comprehensive view of why the ending was left open, but I still can't say was satisfying.

Being a mother, the content and events of Sadie were hard for me to read as well. I don't ever want to imagine one of my children being brutally murdered, sexually assaulted, unloved, or missing. It's heartbreaking, and yet Sadie felt like such a real story. The events way too commonplace. It's heartbreaking when you think about any one piece much less all put together. *Spoiler alert* This is a sad story.

Sadie ended up being just an okay read for me. The genre is outside of my norm as I tend to prefer books driven by romantic relationships. The content was hard to swallow. And even though the characters were likable and I sympathized with them, they almost made the story harder to read. I had a hard time getting to a point where I felt fully invested, but once I did, I finished Sadie quickly. I'm giving Sadie 3 Stars. Have you read Sadie? What did you think? Let me know!

Top Ten Out of My Comfort Zone Books I Read in 2015

Top 10 Tuesday is a post hosted by The Broke and the Bookish and this week's topic is Top Ten Out of My Comfort Zone Books I Read in 2015.

Okay so I really don't branch out that much. I know what I like to read and for the most part, I stick to it.

1. Divided We Fall (Divided We Fall, # 1) by Trent Reedy - Enjoyed much more than I expected.
2. All the Rage by Courtney Summers - It's hard to say what exactly makes this book outside of my norm. It's not the content or the author. But it was definitely different.
3. Truest by Jackie Lea Sommers - Never even heard of the condition that one of the characters has in this book. It proved thought provoking.
4. Walk on Earth a Stranger (The Gold Seer Trilogy, # 1) by Rae Carson - I don't read much historical fiction.
5. Esther: Royal Beauty by Angela Elwell Hunt - I really need to read more Christian fiction. (review coming soon)

Which books were out of your comfort zone that you ended up enjoying last year? Let me know!

*Side note: That cover of Divided We Fall being a different size is KILLING MY OCD! I can't find a better cover though. Ugh. The problems associated with books that aren't well-known or funded.

All the Rage - Review

All the Rage

By: Courtney Summers

Published: April 14th 2015 by St. Martin's Griffin

336 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Mystery

Source: Publisher via NetGalley (Thank you!!)

( Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository )

*Note: The above links to Amazon and Book Depository are affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--In her hardcover debut, from the author of Cracked Up To Be and This is Not a Test, comes a powerful new young adult novel.　

The sheriff’s son, Kellan Turner, is not the golden boy everyone thinks he is, and Romy Grey knows that for a fact. Because no one wants to believe a girl from the wrong side of town, the truth about him has cost her everything—friends, family, and her community. Branded a liar and bullied relentlessly by a group of kids she used to hang out with, Romy’s only refuge is the diner where she works outside of town. No one knows her name or her past there; she can finally be anonymous.But when a girl with ties to both Romy and Kellan goes missing after a party, and news of him assaulting another girl in a town close by gets out, Romy must decide whether she wants to fight or carry the burden of knowing more girls could get hurt if she doesn’t speak up. Nobody believed her the first time—and they certainly won’t now—but the cost of her silence might be more than she can bear.　

With a shocking conclusion and writing that will absolutely knock you out, All the Rage examines the shame and silence inflicted upon young women after an act of sexual violence, forcing us to ask ourselves: In a culture that refuses to protect its young girls, how can they survive?

I feel like I’ve been picking apart book descriptions lately. This description is right and not all at the same time. The way the information is stated gives you the impression that All the Rage is something very different from what it actually is. I put off starting All the Rage because I just didn’t see how this book could not be emotionally draining. I was in the middle of my reading slump when the release date came and passed. I was kicking myself for missing the release date, but I knew that picking up an emotionally draining book while already in a slump would be the worst idea ever. And so now I felt mentally ready to take on All the Rage. However, I don’t know know if one is ever ready to take on a story such as this one.

The first thirty percent of All the Rage was extremely confusing to me. I couldn’t figure out the timeline of events between what was labeled as “Now” and what was labeled as “Two Weeks Before.” I even wondered for a bit if Courtney Summers was lying to me and the events of “now” and the events of “two weeks before” were switched. But that’s not the case. So if you find yourself feeling confused fairly early on, just keep pressing on. All will be revealed in due time.

You guys. I’m kind of torn on this book. On the one hand, My heart was breaking for Romy. She’s experienced one of the greatest personal traumas that anyone can experience. And instead of being comforted, consoled, and allowed to heal, Romy has been branded a liar, an outcast, and repeatedly abused and mistreated time and time again. There’s a level to All the Rage that leaves you feeling like humanity can’t possibly get this low, yet we know that it often does and even worse. Because people didn’t respond properly to Romy when she needs it the most, Romy in turn tries to cope as best as she can but the result is that she turns her pain inward and ultimately doesn’t respond to her trauma properly either. But I have to stop myself and have to ask “how do I know what the proper response is to such a tragedy?” I’ve never experienced the things Romy has. Who am I to judge how she responded? Yet, I can see where had she chosen a different path the outcome might have been different as well.

Romy is, understandably, deeply scarred due to the abuse she suffered. And as the expectant mother of a little girl myself, I’m not sure this was the right book for me to read now either. Sheesh. But it’s the stories of the silent that often cause us to be more cautious. I do know that we can’t prevent bad things from happening to ourselves or our children entirely, but boy are there certain things that we can be on guard against and do our best to prevent.

In the end, All the Rage just left me feeling extremely sad. Sad that humanity has seen and will continue to see this level of low, this level of violence. Sad that some still hold such horrible stories inside themselves. Sad that sin is such a part of this broken world. But we don’t have to stay here. There is hope and healing and redemption, forgiveness, grace, mercy, and comfort available. This story wasn’t about religion at all, but because of who I am, that’s what I take away from it. Horrible things happen to people everywhere, but through Jesus Christ even death is overcome.

Favorite quotes:

-Leon is…I forgot what it was like to want before he came here. But who said I needed to remember.

-Leon is nice. That doesn’t mean he’s safe.

-A house isn’t a home until it becomes a habit.

-There’s an unquestioned acceptance of my being here, being a part of this. It’s a warm feeling and I’m so hungry for it, but I close myself off to it before I get my fill. I’m not getting home to that. Best stay starved.

-“…we were friends and then we were best friends and then he fell in love with me. After a while, I caught up.”

-It’s amazing how bad you can make the truth sound.

-My dad used to say makeup was a shallow girl’s sport, but it’s not. It’s armor.

All the Rage was an emotionally draining book for me, but not exactly in the way I expected it to be. It’s an extremely sad story and really makes you think about the crappy things happening all over the world. But at the same time, the story was well done. The characters felt real. And I can’t help but give All the Rage 4 Stars for making me feel. Have you read All the Rage? What did you think? Let me know!

Waiting on Please Remain Calm

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Please Remain Calm (This is Not a Test, # 2)

By: Courtney Summers

Expected Publication: January 20th 2015 by St. Martin's Griffin

Genre: Young Adult, Horror, Zombies, Science Fiction, Post-Apocalyptic

( Goodreads )

Goodreads description--In this gripping sequel to THIS IS NOT A TEST, Rhys and Sloane are headed for a safe haven when they get separated along the way. Rhys is determined to reunite with Sloane until he discovers people who might need him more--people who offer him the closest he'll get to everything he's lost, if they can just hold on long enough.

Rhys thinks he has what it takes to survive and find the girl he lost, but in a world overrun by the dead, there are no guarantees and the next leg of his journey will test him in unimaginable ways ...

AH!!!!! A sequel!!!! YAY!!! Loved This is Not a Test! What are you waiting on this week? Let me know!

This feautre is part of my All Things Halloween event--a month of paranormal, supernatural, mystery/thriller, etc reviews and books.

Waiting on All the Rage

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

All the Rage

By: Courtney Summers

Expected Publication: April 14th 2015 by St. Martin's Griffin

336 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Mystery, Thriller

( Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository )

*Note: The above links to Amazon and Book Depository are affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--In her hardcover debut, from the author of Cracked Up To Be and This is Not a Test, comes a powerful new young adult novel.　

The sheriff’s son, Kellan Turner, is not the golden boy everyone thinks he is, and Romy Grey knows that for a fact. Because no one wants to believe a girl from the wrong side of town, the truth about him has cost her everything—friends, family, and her community. Branded a liar and bullied relentlessly by a group of kids she used to hang out with, Romy’s only refuge is the diner where she works outside of town. No one knows her name or her past there; she can finally be anonymous.But when a girl with ties to both Romy and Kellan goes missing after a party, and news of him assaulting another girl in a town close by gets out, Romy must decide whether she wants to fight or carry the burden of knowing more girls could get hurt if she doesn’t speak up. Nobody believed her the first time—and they certainly won’t now—but the cost of her silence might be more than she can bear.　

With a shocking conclusion and writing that will absolutely knock you out, All the Rage examines the shame and silence inflicted upon young women after an act of sexual violence, forcing us to ask ourselves: In a culture that refuses to protect its young girls, how can they survive?

I absolutely loved This is Not a Test by Courtney Summers, and I can't wait to get my hands on All the Rage.

This feature is part of my All Things Halloween event--a month of paranormal, supernatural, mystery/thriller, etc reviews and books.

Top Ten New-To-Me Authors I Read in 2013

Top 10 Tuesday is a post hosted by The Broke and the Bookish and this week's topic is Top Ten New-To-Me Authors I Read in 2013.

You guys, I read SO MANY good books this year. And many of those books were by authors I haven't read before. It's no secret that I have a hard time keeping to ten choices on these posts, but this one might have been excessive. I just couldn't stop! I wanted to give credit to all of the new (to me) authors that have blown me away this year!

1) Rainbow Rowell (Eleanor & Park)

2) RL LaFevers (Grave Mercy)

3) Anne Eliot (Almost)

4) Jay Crownover (Rule, Jet, & Rome)

5) Brent Crawford (Carter Finally Gets It)

6) JA Redmerski (The Edge of Never, The Edge of Always)

7) KA Tucker (Ten Tiny Breaths, One Tiny Lie)

8) John & Stasi Eldredge (Captivating)

9) Kasie West (The Distance Between Us)

10) Gayle Forman (If I Stay, Where She Went)

11) Lauren Oliver (Delirium, Pandemonium)

12) Michelle Hodkin (The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer)

13) Courtney Summers (This is Not a Test)

14) Leigh Bardugo (Shadow & Bone, Siege & Storm)

15) Rick Yancey (The 5th Wave)

16) Veronica Rossi (Under the Never Sky, Through the Ever Night, & Into the Still Blue)

17) Marissa Meyer (Cinder, Scarlet)

18) John Green (The Fault in Our Stars)

What authors have blown you away this year? Let me know!

This is Not a Test - Review

This is Not a Test

By: Courtney Summers

Published: June 19th 2012 by St. Martin's Griffin

323 pages

Genre: YA, Post-Apocalyptic

Source: Won in an Armchair BEA giveaway from Andi's ABCs

( Goodreads | Amazon | The Book Depository | Booksamillion.com )

*Note: The above links to Amazon, The Book Depository, and Booksamillion.com are affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--It’s the end of the world. Six students have taken cover in Cortege High but shelter is little comfort when the dead outside won’t stop pounding on the doors. One bite is all it takes to kill a person and bring them back as a monstrous version of their former self. To Sloane Price, that doesn’t sound so bad. Six months ago, her world collapsed and since then, she’s failed to find a reason to keep going. Now seems like the perfect time to give up. As Sloane eagerly waits for the barricades to fall, she’s forced to witness the apocalypse through the eyes of five people who actually want to live. But as the days crawl by, the motivations for survival change in startling ways and soon the group’s fate is determined less and less by what’s happening outside and more and more by the unpredictable and violent bids for life—and death—inside. When everything is gone, what do you hold on to?

Wow! Guys, I loved This is Not a Test. I'm honestly not even sure where to begin. Courtney Summers has some major writing talent and while I don't think her other work is zombie related, I've seen enough to prompt me into reading more of her writing.

This is Not a Test is told from the POV of a girl during the zombie apocalypse who doesn't really want to live. And while throughout the zombie books I've read there always seems to be a character that just can't hack the way the world has gone to pot and said character decides to off themselves, but that's not how things go down with Sloane. Sloane had pretty much given up BEFORE the world goes nuts. Thus the contrast of seeing the zombie apocalypse from the point of view of someone who isn't trying to survive. It was different, and I love different.

Of course, I'm not condoning suicide at all, and Sloane is prevented from letting the zombies or herself take her life time and time again by conscience and a variety of other things. It's was so refreshing to watch Sloane find reasons to live rather than the other way around. I think in a lot of zombie books the character becomes so beat down with the way their new world is and seeing friend after friend die that they lose hope by the end, but this was the exact opposite of This is Not a Test and I loved it for that.

I did struggle with Sloane a little bit in the beginning because of how she wanted to give up and just give in, but I still felt extremely connected to her as a character. I LOVED Rhys. He latches on to Sloane pretty early on and I love how he slowly showed her what it is to open her heart back up. The other characters were pretty easy to get attached to as well, Cary, Grace, and even Harrison. The only character I had a hard time liking was Trace.

This is Not a Test is a story about finding hope, finding a reason to live when there might seem like there are no more reasons. It's about seeing how far you're willing to go to survive, who you can trust, and who can trust you when the worst comes to worst. We didn't see much interaction with the actual zombies throughout the book--really just the beginning and the end. But I didn't mind because there were so many dynamics going on within this group of characters.

As I said before, Courtney Summers has some mad writing skills. She reminds me a little of Maggie Stiefvater in that her writing comes off as truly poetic at time. I'm not quite sure it's as lyrical as Maggie S, but here are some examples:

pg 9 - He stares at her body and sits there, drenched in someone else's life, and he looks so calm, like he knew this was coming, like the way this morning started it was only ever going to end up like this.

Pg 22 - Harrison starts to cry. he stands in the middle of the room and holds himself because no one else will and it's the loneliest thing I've ever seen.

pg 89 - It must be awful to find out your life is worth nothing to someone else. I want to tell Cary he's not worthless. Harrison probably needs him. (Ok this one had me busting out laughing...Oh Sloane....)

Pg 263 - Each step forward is a slow and hateful thing.

Like I said, poetic. This is Not a Test exceeded so many expectations for me. 4.5 Stars. Have you read This is Not a Test? If so, what did you think? Let me know!

This review is part of my "All Things Halloween" October review event.